JuricaDujmovic

Columnist

War is hell. And, increasingly, high-tech.

Defense and aerospace manufacturers worldwide deliver more than $1.5 trillion in weaponry a year, with the U.S. accounting for almost half of the total. Ships, planes and the like still make up a big piece of the pie, but developed nations are paying top dollar for technological advancements such as stealth gear, laser devices and robot-like suits for soldiers.

In one of my previous articles, I discussed methods of information warfare employed by terrorists. Today we’ll talk about the most advanced devices and armaments modern technology has to offer.

http://www.baesystems.com/

A tank is outfitted with stealth panels.

Cloaking device for a tank

Imagine you could render an entire tank invisible. Britain’s BAE Systems
B, -1.17%
has succeeded — at least within the infra-red spectrum. Cloaking device Adaptiv uses on-board cameras to scan the surroundings of the vehicle and project the scanned heat signature onto the hexagonal display panels covering the tank. Those panels (called modules) are then able to modify their temperature rapidly, quickly mimicking whatever surrounds the vehicle.

Tanks equipped with this technology can either blend into the background completely or display a desired image in an infra-red spectrum, effectively deceiving a heat-seeking missile, drone or a solider wearing heat-sensitive goggles.

The technology isn’t limited to tanks. In the future, it could be adapted to camouflage helicopters or even warships.

http://www.baesystems.com/

http://www.baesystems.com/

CBS News

A laser gun made by Boeing can be mounted on a vehicle to shoot down drones and rockets.

Laser gun

This 10-kilowatt high-energy laser, known as the High Energy Laser Mobile Demonstrator (HEL MD) is capable of annihilating drones, rockets and even small bombs or mortar rounds in midair. It works by focusing a 2.5-centimeter (1-inch) wide beam of energy at an object and literally overheating its internals and causing the explosives inside it to detonate. Produced for the U.S. military by Boeing
BA, +0.52%
it’s shot down more than 150 drones, rockets and other mock enemy targets.

CBS News

Steel plates that have been pierced by an electromagnetic railgun.

Electromagnetic railgun

This weapon could herald the end of gunpowder-propelled weaponry. It fires projectiles at speeds as fast as seven times the speed of sound, which is like going from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia in 3 minutes. Ammunition for this railgun is dirt cheap (at least when compared to the cost of other modern projectiles), and the destructive power it wields enables its missiles to easily pierce through three walls of reinforced concrete or six half-inch steel plates.

The projectiles are equipped with an electronic-guidance system, enabling them to be fired at moving targets such as drones, airplanes, missiles and more.

Here’s how it works:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

Lance Cpl. Alejandro Bedoya

The aptly named Pain Ray

The Active Denial System (ADS), aka the Pain Ray

ADS is a non-lethal, directed-energy weapon developed by the U.S. military and designed for crowd control. It functions in a way similar to a microwave oven, although its rays reach only top layers of the skin, causing pain and a burning sensation.

How does it feel to be exposed to the Active Denial System? Here’s what a test subject had to say:

“For the first millisecond, it just felt like the skin was warming up. Then it got warmer and warmer and you felt like it was on fire. ... As soon as you’re away from that beam, your skin returns to normal and there is no pain.”

Longer exposure results in pea-sized blisters and repeated exposure may lead to long-term damage including cancer — both in operators and targets.

There are reports that Russia and China are developing their own versions of the Active Denial System.

Iron Man’s suit

Warner Bros. Pictures

Tom Cruise in ‘Edge of Tomorrow’

Maybe we still can’t produce Iron Man’s battle suits, but here are quite a few futuristic army exoskeletons that are remarkably similar to what Tom Cruise wore in his “Edge of Tomorrow” blockbuster.

These suits enable soldiers to recharge their equipment, be stronger, move faster and do more not only in the theater of war, but also while performing logistics and heavy lifting.

Raytheon

Raytheon’s Sarcos 2nd Generation Exoskeleton Suit, or XOS 2

First in line is the Raytheon Sarcos 2nd Generation Exoskeleton Suit or XOS 2, developed by Raytheon
RTN, -0.40%
for the U.S. military. XOS 2 is lighter, stronger and faster than its predecessor. It uses 50% less power, and its new design makes it more resistant to the environment. The suit is powered by an internal-combustion engine driving hydraulic activations. The XOS 2 is strong enough to enable its wearer to lift 200 pounds repeatedly without tiring, but it’s also agile enough for the soldier inside to climb stairs, kick a ball, etc.

DefenseReview.com

Lockheed Martin’s HULC robotic exoskeleton

The HULC robotic exoskeleton by Lockheed Martin
LMT, +0.03%
is another power suit that enables the soldier to carry up to 200 pounds and run as fast as 10 mph, using an on-board micro-computer that ensures the exoskeleton moves in concert with the individual. Lockheed Martin is exploring designs for industrial use and a wider variety of military mission-specific applications.

Writing this article made me both happy (because I like modern technology) and sad (because I don’t like violence). So here’s my question to you: Do you feel these weapons will help us live in a safer world, or will they merely boost the destructive tendencies of mankind? Let me know your comments below!

Intraday Data provided by SIX Financial Information and subject to terms of use.
Historical and current end-of-day data provided by SIX Financial Information. Intraday data
delayed per exchange requirements. S&P/Dow Jones Indices (SM) from Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
All quotes are in local exchange time. Real time last sale data provided by NASDAQ. More
information on NASDAQ traded symbols and their current financial status. Intraday
data delayed 15 minutes for Nasdaq, and 20 minutes for other exchanges. S&P/Dow Jones Indices (SM)
from Dow Jones & Company, Inc. SEHK intraday data is provided by SIX Financial Information and is
at least 60-minutes delayed. All quotes are in local exchange time.